The hybrid GCV, known as the Northrop Grumman Ground Combat Vehicle, was first tested in August 2007 and has been designed in order to “modernize the US Army and provide soldiers with a decisive edge against adversaries.” The vehicle includes a hybrid electric drive propulsion system that enables greater force protection and added mobility as it is 20 percent more fuel-efficient than conventional diesel-powered tanks.

The hybrid GCV is part of the US Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program that will see the military utilize hybrid tanks as a way of fueling supply lines faster and putting fewer lives at risk. According to BAE System’s website, the Hybrid Electric Drive (HED) is “the next logical step for the U.S. Army, and now is the time for soldiers to reap the benefits that hybrid will bring to the battlefield.”